Puppy Love for Christmas

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Christopher ran a comb through his hair one more time when a knock came at the Wakefield Suite’s door. He had stayed the night thinking it would be more convenient for him and Sabrina instead of her having to pick him up at the house. Plus, his laptop was there and he didn’t want to be tempted to do any work. He wondered who it might be since everyone he knew possessed a key to the premises. The only person he had been expecting was Sabrina. They had made plans to drive over to Devon that morning to pick up a puppy.

He checked his reflection. Sweater vest, check. Crisp white shirt, check. Pressed chinos, check. He was as put together as he would ever be.

The knock came again, prompting him to hurry to the door. He peeked through the peephole and stepped back, tilting his head in surprise. When he opened the door, Sabrina stood on the other side in jeans tucked into knee-high boots and an electric blue sweater.

“Took you long enough,” she said, a smile brightening her face.

“You have a master key. You could have just let yourself in,” he said.

“I don’t know. I feel kind of awkward just letting myself in.”

This was a new side to Sabrina that Christopher had not seen before. Shy. Unsure of herself. He had no idea what happened during her walk with the dogs and Troy. She had been quiet when they had returned. She seemed so deep in her thoughts. Christopher thought it best not to press her for information.

“You’re always welcome here.” He studied her. Hair in its usual gravity defying curls. Jacket hung over her bent arm. Nothing out of the ordinary, yet something was different.

“Are you ready?” she asked when the air between them grew too still. “We have a long drive ahead of us and I want to get back before the hot chocolate competition.”

“Participant?”

“Judge.” Her grin was wide and proud.

“How did you swing that?”

“With the amount of hot chocolate I drink? I pretty much keep Tiffany in business.”

“Then let’s get going.” Christopher stepped out into the hall and pulled the door closed behind him. “Wouldn’t want to keep the hot chocolate waiting.”

“I have my mother’s car waiting for us in the lot.” Sabrina jingled a set of keys as they made their way to the bank of elevators that would take them to the lobby. No need for the service elevators this time around.

“What happened to your Chevy?”

The elevator doors opened and they stepped into the cab. A mournful sigh left Sabrina deflated for a second.

“Alas,” she said, true sadness in her tone. “The clunker died on me a couple years back. Right after our great puppy caper, in fact. I think he had been ashamed to have been a part of such a crime.”

“And you haven’t thought of replacing him?” Christopher pressed the button to the lobby just as the doors were closing. The elevator had a gold interior with mirrored walls. Sometimes, riding it felt like being in a funhouse because of the unending reflections.

“Getting another car was the last thing on my mind after my community service,” she said, leaning against one of the mirrored walls. Christopher stared at the optical illusion she created. An infinite number of Sabrinas. “Volunteering at the Animal Sanctuary became my main focus. Then college happened. I didn’t have time to think about getting another one. Besides, Troy had a car. He drove me around most of the time anyway.”

Unwilling to open the Troy can of worms just yet, Christopher focused on the most important part of what she had said. “Helping animals really is your life.”

“Like science, going to MIT, and that company is yours.”

He understood her sentiment. He had been so focused on learning and developing new tech as much as he could that he had neglected coming home to Trevor. So, yes, science had become his life. But maybe, focusing too much on his work wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Starting a company was one thing, but since coming home, he had come to understand that experiencing life was also just as important.

They exited into the festively decorated lobby teaming with activity. A huge Christmas tree dominated the center of the space. All that shimmered in red and gold adorned its branches. The small bakery at the side was full of people selecting and purchasing an assortment of pastries. The gift shop that featured the work of local artisans was just as overflowing with tourists. Other hotel guests filled the great room, its roaring fire keeping everyone toasty. Each hand clutched a steaming cup. There might not have been snow, but the weather had been cold.

Sabrina made a beeline for the double sliding doors. Christopher followed after her until she reached a green Toyota Corolla that had seen many years. It wasn’t as old as the clunker she used to drive, but it was close.

“This is your mom’s car?” he asked, skeptical.

She pressed on the key fob and the rear lights blinked twice. “Don’t worry, it will get us to where we need to be.”

Christopher gulped before getting into the passenger seat and buckling in.

***

Devon was a city two hours way from Trevor. Considering the holiday rush, traffic wasn’t half bad on the way. They hit a slow down patch on the freeway because of a three-car accident that everyone slowed down to stare at.

“Don’t you just hate it when people slow down to gawk at an accident?” Sabrina said, her eyebrows knitted together. “It’s so rude to the other people who want to get on their way.”

“It’s called the rubbernecking principle.”

“The what?” She glanced at him as they inched forward.

“Basically, there is always this impulse to want to know what is going on when really we might be better off minding our own business.”

“You’re saying that we can’t help but gawk?”

“Humans are naturally curious. Morbid as it may seem in this case. That’s why you can say one thing and still turn your head toward the accident as we pass it.”

Sabrina swiveled her head from the accident to stare straight ahead. The speed picked up once everyone on the road returned to needing to get to where they are going. Christopher chuckled.

“You’re making fun of me,” she said, blushing.

“Took your mind off being annoyed at the traffic, I hope,” he said.

“Why did we drift apart?” she asked as she guided the car to another lane. They were about to exit the highway. The next onramp would take them into Devon.

“That’s a sudden question.” Christopher shifted in his seat.

“It’s just that we were so close when we were kids then there was nothing in high school.”

“I think it had more to do with me skipping a couple of years.” He watched the scenery change from trees that had shed their leaves to the concrete jungle of the city. “I never kept up with anyone in our grade. I’m starting to learn that it was a mistake just focusing on my academics. I might have benefited by having a few more friends.”

“I never stopped being your friend.”

The sadness in her tone made Christopher reach out and touch her hand. “And I’m grateful for that.”

“Troy wants us to get back together,” she said as if it was the natural course their conversation should have taken.

Christopher pulled his hand back. “I figured as much.” It was an eventuality that he expected. “How do you feel about it?”

“Confused, mostly. I don’t know what to do.”

“I have very little experience with relationships so I’m not the best person to ask, but if you need someone to talk it out with, I’m willing to listen.”

“Won’t that be weird for you? I mean, after what you told me yesterday.”

He thought about it for a moment. Then he said, “I like you, Sabrina. I’ve liked you since you made me an accomplice to a felony years ago.”

“Chris,” she whispered his name as if she couldn’t quite believe what he was saying.

“I thought that concentrating on my studies at MIT and then starting my company would make me forget my feelings for you,” he continued. “I found out that wasn’t true as soon as I saw you wearing that pink beanie and gloves and looking into the bookstore window at the miniature version of our town, holding your cocoa cup close to your chest.”

Sabrina didn’t speak as she guided the car through city traffic. Christopher knew that laying it all out there might be too much. Especially after the fact that Troy wanted to get back together with her. Was he jealous, of course. What red-blooded guy wouldn’t be when the girl he liked was thinking of getting back together with her ex?

“I honestly don’t know what to say,” Sabrina finally said when they reached the building of the shelter with its large sign out front that said Devon Animal Shelter. The I in animal was in the shape of a milk dog bone.

“I know you might be overwhelmed right now,” he said as she eased the car into one of the only remaining parking spots along the street. “I’m still your friend through all of this despite the extenuating circumstances of my feelings for you. At the end of it all, I will honor the choice you make. I don’t want to make this harder for you than it already is. All I ask is that you give me a fair chance.”

Sabrina turned off the engine and pulled the key out of the ignition. She inhaled deeply and said, “Thank you. Not only for coming here with me, but for being so understanding. If I’d paid more attention to you when we were growing up then maybe all of this would be different.”

“Trust me, you wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with me in high school. Too awkward. Too nerdy.”

She laughed. “I don’t think that’s changed.”

“True.”

“That only means there’s more about you that I’m only learning now and from where I’m sitting I’m liking what I’m seeing.”

As if all at once, all the blood seemed to rush up Christopher’s body to his head. He must have been so red because his face felt so hot. Sabrina laughed again.

“But, seriously.” She sobered.

The air around them changed. It grew heavy with the seriousness on her face. Christopher let out a slow breath.

“I have a feeling I’m not going to like this,” he said.

“Since you where honest with me, I will also be honest with you.” She shifted in her seat so she could look him in the eye. “Troy and I broke up because he was moving away. You have to understand that my life is in Trevor. I can’t promise I would even make a choice after all is said and done because—”

“I live in San Francisco,” he interrupter her, getting where she was going. The nod she gave him said as much. She had a point. Was it even worth it pursuing his feelings for her if they would have to live separately afterwards? And judging from what happened with Troy, she wasn’t willing to move. Christopher was hit with the reality that maybe, at the end of the day, all of this was for naught.

So much for confessing his feelings. His heart sank.

“Come on,” she said, opening her door. The conversation was clearly over. “We have a pup to rescue.”

***

Christopher had no idea what to expect walking into the Devon Animal Shelter. His only point of reference was the Animal Sanctuary back home. Sabrina mentioned on the ride over that this particular shelter specifically held dogs and euthanized the animals who weren’t adopted or taken in by a place that didn’t put their animals to sleep in order to open up space for more abandoned pets or strays.

They were met by Carol over at the reception area. She introduced herself as the one in charge of taking in and adopting out the dogs. Sabrina shook her hand before introducing Christopher. He shook Carol’s hand too. Unlike Sharleen at the Animal Sanctuary who had a bright smile and infectious enthusiasm, Carol seemed more hardened—which Christopher figured she had to be if dogs were routinely put to rest because of space issues.

After the introductions were made and Sabrina handed Carol the transfer papers for the puppy they were picking up, Carol led them through a swing door with a round window at the center. The first thing that hit Christopher was the noise. Kennels stretched as far as he could see. Maybe fifty on each side and all the dogs inside—sometimes two to a small rectangular space—were barking and turning in a circle. The energy was almost oppressive in its sadness.

Then came the smell. He could almost see it. All those dogs at once? Many of them severely excited from not being walked? It was intense. Christopher couldn’t even describe it. Only that it hit all his senses, not just the olfactory.

Carol explained that there was another row of kennels similar to the hall they were in. The shelter housed up to a hundred dogs on any given day. Since they were the biggest shelter, they took in animals not just from the city but also from surrounding towns. The place seemed clean and the dogs looked fed, but Christopher’s heart couldn’t help but sink at the situation. If only he could bring them all home and he was sure Sabrina felt the same judging from the horror mixed with worry topped with indignation on her face. A part of him wanted to tell her to wait in the car. Save her from having to witness this. But he knew she was the type to face what was in front of her. She never ran away from anything.

They were led to the kennel at the end where a carrier waited. Inside was a white Labrador puppy who stood at one corner of the place he called home. There was a water bowl near the chain link gate and a rag for a bed by his side. He was the cutest thing. Christopher estimated him to be no older than six months. Carol confirmed it soon enough when she spoke.

“Triumph’s been here for quite some time,” Carol explained. “Before that he’s been bouncing from home to shelter. An abandoned Christmas present.”

“Happens all the time,” Sabrina said in disgust. “A kid gets a pet for Christmas, quickly looses interest or finds out he or she can’t take care of it, and the poor pup ends up in a shelter like this one. Many of them find homes. Triumph looks so cute. Any shelter shouldn’t have had trouble placing him.”

“There are special circumstances with this one,” Carol said. For the first time, sadness crept into her voice. “I’ve been calling other shelters, but this time of year?”

“Most of them are full,” Sabrina supplied before Christopher could ask why.

“Exactly. That’s why I was so happy when Sharleen said the Animal Sanctuary would take him in. I just can’t bare it if we had to . . .”

She didn’t have to finish what she was about to say. Christopher and Sabrina knew right away what she had meant. He had been about to ask what were the special circumstances that kept the pup from being adopted when the white Lab answered the question for him. Sabrina gasped, hand covering her mouth.

The puppy turned around to reveal that he was missing his left hind leg.